The Malone University volleyball team started its season on Friday with an impressive three-set victory over Bellarmine University in the first of two matches at the Ashland Invitational. In the nightcap, the Pioneers suffered a four-set defeat to the hosts to fall to 1-1 on the young season.
 
Malone 3, Bellarmine 0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-22)
Facing a Bellarmine team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament a season ago, Malone battled through opening day jitters and an early deficit to win the first set, which featured 13 ties. Taking advantage of a strong defense effort and 15 Bellarmine errors, Malone eventually played to a 24-24 draw before back-to-back kills by Hannah Eliason and Faith Lau put Malone in front.
 
In a dominant second set, Malone outhit the Knights .268 to -.023, using an 11-3 run early on to set the tone for the rest of the match. The Pioneer attack, which registered just five errors over the final two frames, then hit .282 in a much closer third set that included nine early ties. Leading 18-17, the Pioneers used a 4-0 rally to pull away for their fourth straight season-opening victory, claiming the match on a Rachel Santos service ace.
 
Lau, who added two service aces, and Mallory Adams each posted a team-high nine kills to lead the balanced attack. Veronica Gehring and Santos recorded eight and seven kills respectively. Sophomore setter Abbie Swaino, who tallied an alert third-set kill late in the match, collected her third collegiate double-double, finishing with a team-high 17 assists to go along with career-high 14 digs.
 
Senior libero Maggie Hamrock led the Pioneer defense, which totaled 73 digs and 10 total blocks and held the Knights to a collective .087 hitting percentage across the match. She finished with a team-high 15 digs while Sydney Black chipped in with 11. Hannah Eliason was excellent at the net, contributing seven blocks, including one solo. The seven blocks were the second-most in her career and the most in a three-setter. Brooklyn Sullivan added five blocks while Mallory Adams contributed three blocks along with nine digs.
 
All-American libero Jordyn Kuchenbrod led Bellarmine with a match-high 24 digs. Outside hitter Jacquie Hornung had a match-high 18 kills.
 
Malone 1, Ashland 3 (25-18, 12-25, 17-25, 10-25)
Following a red-hot first set in which they posted a .326 attacking percentage with 18 kills, the Pioneers went ice-cold for the rest of the match, totaling just 23 kills and a .009 hitting rate over the final three sets. Ashland, meanwhile hit .291 over the last three sets, including a .394 mark in the clincher.
 
Mallory Adams was the lone Pioneer to reach double-digits in kills, landing a team-high 13. Hannah Eliason added nine kills while Cathryn Miller dished out a team-high 21 assists. Libero Maggie Hamrock added four aces in the service game.
 
Defensively, Hamrock collected a team-high 19 digs while Sydney Black scooped up 11 and Miller totaled 10 to earn the double-double. Adams and Eliason each tallied two blocks.
 
Shelby Woycik led Ashland with a game-high 15 kills.
 
Up Next
Malone begins day two at the Ashland Invite with a 9:00 am match against Nova Southeastern on Saturday. The Pioneers will then close out the weekend against Shippensburg at 4:30 pm.